Okay, But Why?
There is so much happening in politics right now, it’s hard to keep up. It feels like every day, there’s a new outrageous headline. But it’s not always clear why these things are happening. So in this series of short shareable podcast episodes, we’re here to ask… “Okay, But Why?”
Red Wine & Blue has produced several limited series podcasts over the past 3 years, including series about immigration, Christian Nationalism, and the cost of extremism. Now, we're bringing you "Okay, But Why."
Episodes
41 episodes
Okay, But Why is AI a Concern?
Artificial Intelligence, or AI, is everywhere these days. Some people think it’s the solution to all of humanity’s problems and some think it’s going to bring about the end of life as we know it. The truth, as usual, is somewhere in between. Bu...
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Season 5
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Episode 22
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15:07
Okay, But Why Is Gerrymandering Legal?
Gerrymandering is one of those things that makes people tune out of politics. It doesn’t just sound technical and complicated, it feels so far outside our control. But it’s important to understand because we all deserve to have our votes count....
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Season 5
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Episode 21
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13:20
Okay, But Why Were The Suburbs Shaped By Racism?
For nearly a century, the suburbs have been a cornerstone of the American Dream. But for almost as long, some people have criticized the suburbs for being too conformist, too dependent on cars, and to be blunt, too… white. We know ...
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Season 5
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Episode 20
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13:09
Okay, But Why Do Nine People Get To Decide Our Rights?
The Supreme Court gets to make decisions that affect our most fundamental rights. When it ruled on Roe vs Wade in 1973 and then overturned that ruling in 2022, it determined our ability to access reproductive care. And in 2015, their ruling on ...
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Season 5
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Episode 19
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14:46
Okay, But Why Are People Drawn To Conspiracy Theories?
Conspiracy theories might be having a moment, but they’re as old as civilization itself. In 64 AD, for example, the Great Fire of Rome sparked competing theories over who started the fire and why. And just like many of today’s cons...
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Season 5
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Episode 18
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12:07
Okay, But Why Do Billionaires Have Our Data?
Since January, Americans have had serious concerns about Elon Musk’s DOGE (the “Department of Government Efficiency”) and the privacy of our personal data. The government used to have careful guardrails in place to protect our info...
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Season 5
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Episode 17
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10:30
Okay, But Why Does Your Garden Matter?
Climate change is a lot of things: big, scary, scientifically-accurate. And as we just saw in Texas, it’s not just a matter of principles or talking points. It’s causing tragedies in our own country and around the globe.In the face of su...
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Season 5
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Episode 16
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10:40
Okay, But Why Do We Celebrate the 4th of July?
This week is the 4th of July, which means we’re celebrating American independence. But what exactly is it that we’re celebrating? What’s so special about American democracy, and how does it work? And with everything going on in politics, should...
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Season 5
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Episode 15
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9:29
Okay, But Why Are So Many People Talking About Trans Kids?
There’s a lot to be stressed about right now. We’re seeing the dissolution of our democratic norms and ideals before our very eyes.But extremists don’t want us thinking about democracy. They want us thinking about the 5 trans kids who wa...
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Season 5
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Episode 14
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9:49
Okay, But Why Is Minimum Wage So Low?
The federal minimum wage right now is $7.25. For someone working full-time, that translates to $15,060 per year, just $20 over the national poverty line.The US minimum wage has been hotly debated since its beginning, so this week, we’re ...
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Season 5
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Episode 13
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10:23
Okay, But Why Are Kids Struggling With Their Mental Health?
Kids today have a lot to worry about. Getting through adolescence was hard enough in generations past, but these days, kids have more anxieties than ever. And who can blame them? There were 83 school shootings in 2024 and gun violence is now th...
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Season 5
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Episode 12
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9:42
Okay, But Why Don't Abortion Law "Exceptions" Work?
Few issues polarize this country like abortion. Most Americans believe these intensely personal decisions should be made by families and doctors, not politicians. But even those who call themselves “pro-life” usually believe some exceptions sho...
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Season 5
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Episode 11
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10:46
Okay, But Why Is No-Fault Divorce At Risk?
You may have seen headlines recently about extremists going after no-fault divorce. “Yeah, okay, I’ve seen those stories,” your friends might say, “but… why would they do that?” The answer, of course, is simple: it’s about controlling women.
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Season 5
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Episode 10
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10:19
Okay, But Why is ICE Detaining Children?
Donald Trump promised to be “tough” on immigration on the campaign trail, vowing to “launch the largest deportation program of criminals in American history.”“Criminals,” he said. So why is ICE detaining children? And w...
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Season 5
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Episode 9
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11:53
Okay, But Why Are We Still Talking About Racism?
When James Baldwin went on the Dick Cavett Show in 1969, he was asked a very loaded question: why aren’t Black people more optimistic? Jim Crow laws had been outlawed, Black people were becoming mayors and successful businesspeople… so...
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Season 5
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Episode 8
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11:46
Okay, But Why are they Defunding the Weather Service?
Last year, extreme weather cost us hundreds of American lives and hundreds of billions of dollars. So… why is the Trump Administration defunding the Weather Service?The Weather Service is part of NOAA, the National Oceanic and A...
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Season 5
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Episode 7
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9:00
Okay, But Why Do We Need Community More Than Ever?
Right now, most of us are feeling stress and anxiety. On top of everything else in our lives, the political chaos seems too much to bear. A 2024 survey from the American Psychological Association found that over 70% of adults consider the count...
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Season 5
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Episode 6
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7:58
Okay, But Why Is Social Security At Risk?
Social security is an American institution. After decades of working hard, we expect to retire with a well-earned safety net to help us with our monthly expenses. Trump and Elon Musk claim that Social Security is rife with corrupti...
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Season 5
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Episode 5
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10:27
Okay, But Why Are Eggs Still So Expensive?
When Trump was running for office last year, he promised to “lower prices on day one.” So… why are eggs still so expensive? And why are other groceries still so expensive too?Sure, bird flu is one factor - but it’s actually having less o...
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Season 5
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Episode 4
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8:13
Okay, But Why Should We Support Ukraine?
With breaking news and shocking headlines still happening on a weekly basis, sometimes it's hard to believe that the current war in Ukraine has been going on for more than three years. You may have heard a neighbor or family member asking...
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Season 5
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Episode 3
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8:42
Okay, But Why Do We Need A Department of Education?
Public education is a cornerstone of our democracy. But Donald Trump and his new Secretary of Education Linda McMahon haven’t exactly made it a secret that they want to shut down the Department of Education. Phrases like “parental choice” and “...
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Season 5
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Episode 2
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11:50
Okay, But Why Are There So Many New Voting Laws?
In this first episode of our limited series "Okay, But Why?", we're taking a deep dive into voting rights.We all want free and fair elections where everyone who’s legally able to vote can make their voice heard. But every time the expert...
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Season 5
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Episode 1
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14:31
The American Fabric: Voting our Values
So far on our miniseries The American Fabric, we’ve learned more about immigrants and why they come to this country. We’ve busted myths and decried disinformation. And we’ve heard immigrants tell their stories in their own words.Today, o...
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Season 4
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Episode 3
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38:22
The American Fabric: Truths & Lies
Extremists have always used disinformation and fear-mongering to further their cause. But their rhetoric about immigration has stooped to new lows in recent months.Some of the lies are so outrageous it might be tempting to laugh. Haitian...
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Season 4
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Episode 2
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28:27
